TRS focuses on Khammam after Sharmila's political entry

Hyderabad: With the entry of YS Sharmila, daughter of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, into Telangana politics, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has decided to have special focus on Khammam.

Khammam is the district, which eludes TRS in the elections, and the party took up Operation Akarsh to attract leaders from other parties.

Even at the peak of Telangana agitation and after the formation of separate State, there were three YSRCP MLAs in Khammam in 2014. These MLAs were included in the TRS and this might be the reason for Sharmila to select Khammam for her first public meeting.

The ruling TRS has been facing groupism issue in the district where the leaders have locked horns. A senior TRS leader said that there are power houses in Khammam district and every group wants their opponent to be defeated so that they can have final say in the district politics.

Leaders including Minister P Ajay Kumar, Tummala Nageswara Rao and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy have their own following in the district, the TRS leader said.

While Ajay Kumar is the Minister, the other two leaders remained silent and its said that one of them is looking for alternative political options.

During an internal meeting, TRS working president KT Rama Rao had warned the party leaders to shed their differences.

He told them that the party had won only one seat in 2014 and also in 2018 elections, which needs to be changed and the party needs to improve its performance.

He also held a separate meeting with Tummala. KTR asked party MLAs to take along old and new leaders with them.

The ruling party leaders observed that the party should take precautionary measures to ensure the district leaders do not look at other options.

According to sources, the party may decide to give MLC seats to Khammam leaders to keep the flock intact as there will be seven seats, which will become vacant in June.

However, the party leaders believe that the Khammam Municipal elections are likely to pave way for future politics in the district.